Book-rack.



s. CALDER.'

BOOK RACK.

APPLICATIQN FILED FEB. 12. IQIB- 1 ,285,932. Patented Nov 26, 1918. I I I a SHEETS- SHEEI l- A5 5 /J v v 5140mm Ga e a/da G. CALDER. v

BOOK RACK.

I APPLICATlbN FILED 8.12. l9l8.

' Patented Nov. 26,1918.

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GEORGE CALDER, F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO EDUCO COMPANYQ OF SPOKANE, \VASHINGTON.

BOOK-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE CALDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book Racks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in book racks, designed especially for the purpose of supporting a single book in open position whether the book be of the end opening type such as a stenographers note book, or of the side opening type such as a text book, novel or other literary production, and the primary object of the vention is the provision of a device of this character which is comparatively simple in construction and facile in its use, comparatively inexpensive of production, and withal well adapted and efficient in performing the functions for which it is intended.

The invention consists essentially in the combination and arrangements of wire frames which are specially made and which cooperate to provide a book rack for use on a desk, table, or other support, as will be here inafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is illustrated according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure l is a front view of a device made according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device, folded.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation or end view of the device in operative position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the anchoring device, detached.

Fig. 5 is a detached plain view of the compensating leaf holder.

Fig. 6 is an end view or side elevation of the book rack supported in an elevated position by an elevating device forming part of the present article.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the elevating support, detached.

In the preferred form of the invention as illustrated in the drawings the book rack is made up of several frames shaped and fashioned 1n usual manner from wire stock, and the rack 18 of course made in suitable sizes 65 for the accommodation of different sizes of books. In making the rack a rectangular, or U-shaped frame is employed to form the front, book supporting member having a lower, central, straight bar 1 and the two end or side bars 2, 2, and these three bars are connected by the upwardly curved rear supports 3 3 for the lower edges of an open book, and the angularly arranged bars or book rests l 1 which join the inner ends of the curved supports with the front center bar 1. The bar 1 it will be noted isoifset toward the front from the plane of the mem bers 2 and 3, for the accommodation of the open leaves of a book supported on the rack.

At the ends 2 2' of the wire forming this front U-shaped frame, the frame is fixed, as by welding or brazing, to an inverted U- shaped frame whose upper portion comprises the two horizontal arms 4, 4:, the top or intermediate arm 4 and the S bends 5 which join the arms 4, 4, to the central intermediate arm 4. The two side bars 6, 6, of this inverted U-shape frame form posts for the front portion of the book rack and the caps or feet 7, preferably made of rubber, are attached at the lower ends of these posts, to prevent scratching or otherwise marring the desk or table top upon which the rack is to be used. The two posts 6, 6, are connected by a pair of cross arms or bars 8, that are fashioned at their centers with backwardly curved or rounded parts 8 for the reception of the back edge of the book supported.

The upper portions of the leaves or-pages of a book, when resting in the rack, are supported and held back by means of the bail 9 havingits looped ends 10 10 in frictional contact with the side bars 2, upon which bars the bail is adjustable. The bail is retained in position, as in Figs. 1, 3, and 6, by gravity and its own weight, and may be adjusted as to altitude by sliding up or down on the posts or side bars 2. The looped ends are preferably located above the top of the book and the body of the bail isthus suspended over the pages of the book with the looped ends 10 beyond the'outer edges of the pages or leaves.

One of the especially meritorious features of the invention is the leaf holder located at the lower end of the device and comprising a bracket 11 in the form of an ornamental plate 11 having turned ends 12 to form pivot sleeves on the bar 1, and. at the upper end of the bracket is fixed a tubular, curved, fixed arm 13 in which the similarly curved bar it is slidably supported. The utility of this compensating bar is enhanced and appreciated when the book is to be supported while open at the beginning or ending, as for instance when the reader has reached almost the end of the book, there are many pages at the left and that portion of the book is thick, while but few leaves-remain at the right side of the book. In such an instance the compensating bar is slipped through the tubular casing to position shown in Fig. 5, and it will readily be seen that this slide bar may with facility be adapted for use in holding back the pages at both sides of the open book as the sides decrease or increase in thickness.

For the purpose of holding securely, the stenographers note book, which opens at the end, the horizontal spring clip 15 is provided at the top of the rack, and at 16 is brazed to the intermediate arm 4: (see Fig. :2) so that the front portion of the open note book may he slipped into the spring clip with the remaining back portion of the book supported by the cross bars 8 8, and the bail 9 hanging over the pages. In this connection the bail may be used as a guide, if desired, for reading the lines of notes on the book, and may he slid down the side bars as the reading progresses, in usual manner.

There are two rear braces 17, for the rack, and'these are hinged to the front frame by anchored to a table or desk b the anchor- 'ing device 19, made up of wire, properly shaped and having its ends 20 embedded iii a foot or rubber cushion 21, 21. A central, curved, slotted arm 22 is provided in the anchor for the set screw 23 by which the anchor is secured, in adjusted position, to

the desk or table upon whi: h the book rack is supported.

In use the book rack is positioned as in Figs. 3 and 6 with the front supporting frame and the rear braces, converging to- .rack be elevated, and for this purpose I utilize an auxiliary device or elevator indicated as a whole by the number at (Fig. 7) and formed of two pivoted frames 25, 26, with a screw or bolt 27 for the pivot and a wing 28 on the screw for clamping the frames in. fixed relationship, as in Fig. 6, in operative position, and in Fig. 7 in folded or packed position. The front supporting frame has books 29 to support the front bar 30 through its eyes 30 of the elevator, and the anchor has a pair of parallel hooks 31 for the reception and retention of the loop 3:2. By means of the wing nut and screw, the crossed frame of the elevator may be clamped in adjusted position in order to raise or lower the supported book, as desired, for the convenience of the reader. As indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the book or leaf retaining bracket, may be moved out of the way when the book is applied to the rack, the bail allowed to fall over the open pages, and as the leaves are turned, the compensating slide bar is moved as required. In this manner both end opening and side-opening books may be accommodated in the rack, and when the note books, or end-opening books are being used, the spring clip at the top of the rack will of course be used.

What I claim is 1. A rack including a rectangular frame for an open book and having a lower central horizontal bar, a bracket pivoted on the bar, a curved, tubular casing having extended ends at the top of the bracket, and a similarly curved bar frictionally held in the casing and adjustable laterally to com-- pensate for the difference in thickness of the two parts of the open book, for retaining the pages.

2. A rack including a suporting frame for an open book, a bracket pivoted on the rack, a curved tubular casing on the bracket and a similarly curved bar in. the casing to en gage the two parts of the book and slidably adjustable to compensate for their difierence in thickness.

3. The combination with an open-book supporting-frame and its side bars, of a horizontally disposed bail slidable on the bars, a pivoted bracket at the lower front of the frame, and a curved bar supported therein to engage the two parts of the book and slid ably adjustable to compensate for their difference in thickness.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE CALDER.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

